Acetylenes disubstituted with a pyridinyl group and a substituted phenyl group having retinoid like activity

ABSTRACT

Retinoid like activity is exhibited by compounds of the formula &lt;CHEM&gt; where R1-R3 independently are hydrogen, lower alkyl, cycloalkyl or lower alkenyl, A and B independently are hydrogen, lower alkyl, cycloalkyl, lower alkenyl, SR* or OR* where R* is lower alkyl, cycloalkyl or lower alkenyl; Y is pyridyl, thienyl, furyl, pyridazinyl, pyrimidinyl, pyrazinyl, thiazolyl or oxazolyl; E is lower alkenyl, lower alkynyl, lower cycloalkyl, lower branched chain alkyl or (CH2)n where n is 0-6; and Z is H, OH, OR&lt;1&gt;, OCOR&lt;1 &gt;, -COOH or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt, ester or amide thereof, -CH2OH or an ether or ester derivative, or -CHO or an acetal derivative, or -COR min  or a ketal derivative where R min  is an alkyl, cycloalkyl or alkenyl group containing 1 to 5 carbons.



